Meadow vs Snap Lens Studio
Meadow is a Unity-first AR publishing platform for creating persistent, location-based AR experiences with Google Geospatial VPS—built for artists, museums, and cultural organizations.
Here's how Meadow compares to Snap Lens Studio for creating AR experiences.
Feature Category
Meadow
Snap Lens Studio
Development Environment
Native Unity workflows with full feature support and Visual Scripting
Lens Studio proprietary editor with JavaScript scripting
Spatial Anchoring
Google Geospatial VPS for outdoor precision + Cloud Anchors for indoor/persistent AR
Face, body, and world tracking; limited location-based anchoring
Distribution
Shared iOS/Android viewer app - no custom app development required
Snapchat app required - 400M+ daily active users but limited to Snapchat ecosystem
Target Use Cases
Site-specific art installations, museum exhibits, persistent location-based experiences
Social AR filters, branded effects, face/body effects, temporary experiences
Persistence
Persistent AR content anchored to real-world locations indefinitely
Ephemeral experiences - content doesn't persist at locations
Multiplayer Support
Real-time multiplayer with Meadow Networking (Pro plan)
Connected Lenses for shared AR experiences within Snapchat
Monetization
Stripe payments + NFT minting for direct creator monetization
Limited monetization - mainly through brand partnerships and AR ads
Pricing
FREE basic, €45/month Pro for commercial use, Enterprise options
FREE to create and publish lenses
Content Ownership
Full creator ownership and control of AR experiences
Content distributed through Snapchat platform with platform guidelines
Platform Focus
Art & culture focused - no algorithms, no brain-rot content feeds
Social media platform with ad-focused algorithms and trending effects
Key Differences
Location-Based vs Social AR
Meadow specializes in persistent, location-based AR experiences that remain anchored to specific real-world locations with VPS precision. Snap Lens Studio focuses on social AR filters and effects designed for sharing on Snapchat, with content that doesn't persist at physical locations.
Platform Independence
Meadow provides a standalone viewer app that works independently, giving creators full control over their AR experiences. Snap Lens Studio requires the Snapchat app, meaning your audience must be Snapchat users and content is subject to Snapchat's platform policies.
Creator Monetization
Meadow offers direct monetization through Stripe payments and NFT minting, allowing creators to sell access to experiences or mint digital collectibles. Snap Lens Studio monetization is primarily through brand partnerships and AR advertising programs.
Development Tools
Meadow uses Unity, providing access to Unity's full ecosystem of assets, tools, and workflows familiar to game developers and 3D artists. Snap Lens Studio uses a proprietary editor optimized for quick creation of social AR effects but with a different learning curve.
Art & Culture Focus - No Algorithms
Meadow is built for artists, museums, and cultural organizations creating meaningful location-based experiences. Unlike social media platforms, Meadow has no algorithmic content feeds, no trending pages, and no brain-rot content—just your curated AR experiences at specific locations.
Ready to Create Location-Based AR?
Build persistent AR experiences anchored to real-world locations with Meadow.